Numbers 13:1-14:12
We now come to a very interesting part of the wilderness journey. Twelve men were sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan. Moses told them to go through the land and see what it was like, whether it was good or bad, whether the people were weak or strong, and to find out all they could there. He also told them to bring back some of the fruit of the land for the people to see.
The men then started on their journey. They crossed over and went through the land, taking careful notice of everything they saw. They came to a place called Eschol where they found such a large bunch of grapes that, when they had picked it, they had to put it on a rod and carry it between two men. They also picked figs and pomegranates, and brought them back to the camp of Israel, where they returned after forty days.
All the people then came, together to hear about this wonderful land of Canaan to which the Lord had promised to take them. The spies showed the fruit which they had brought back, and said it was truly “a land flowing with milk and honey”—there was such an abundance of everything good there. But then they began to tell about the people who lived there. They said that they were strong, and that, the cities had great walls about them. They told of the mighty giants who lived there, and they felt so small that they were like grasshoppers before them. This made the people feel afraid and discouraged, but Caleb and Joshua, two of the spies, were men of faith. They did not think about the giants, the walled cities, and the chariots of iron, but they thought about the power of God that was greater than all the giants of the land of Canaan put together. They believed that God was well able to give then the victory, and that He delighted in them, and would surely do it. Alas, however, the rest of the people chose to believe the ten spies who were afraid, and who said they could never conquer the land. They began to weep, and they wept all night about it. They said, “Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, or would God we had died in this wilderness!” They then suggested making a captain and returning to Egypt.
Moses and Aaron felt this very keenly, and they fell on their faces before the people. Then Caleb and Joshua rent their clothes as a sign of how badly they felt. They pleaded with the people, telling them what an exceedingly good land it was, and that the Lord would bring them into it. They warned them of what a solemn thing it was to rebel against the Word of God too, for when one rejects the grace of God he not only misses the blessings of God, but he must come under His judgment. The people, however, remained unmoved in their evil course, in spite of all these pleadings, and even spoke of stoning Caleb and Joshua. How awful is the heart of man, full of unbelief and enmity—even those who are in an outward place of favor as the people of God. Alas, how many “church-going” people there are today, who are without living faith in the Lord Jesus.
God had to deal again in His government. He sees and knows all, and it is useless to try and escape His hand. The glory of the Lord then appeared, and He said He would destroy the people and make of Moses and his family a great nation—but Moses interceded for them.
ML 10/07/1951